Window seat



J. A. CGSTELLO WINDOW SEAT Filed Jan. 2, 1954 m lu ls E T. S u m Ma NW s n J ATTORNEYS,

Patented June 11, 1935 PATENT OFFICE WINDOW SEAT Joseph A. Costello,

Costello, executor Cleveland, Ohio; Thomas A. of said Joseph A. Costello,

deceased, assignor to Thomas A. Costello Application January 2,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved form of seat which can be placed on the window sill of a house or other building so as to facilitate the washing of the window upon the outside thereof.

There have been devised various forms of window seats for this same general purpose but the are all rather complicated in structure and inconvenient in operation and therefore impractical from the standpoint of marketable merchandise.

The object of the present invention is to devise a window seat of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction and at the same time highly efficient and dependable.

More specifically, my improved form of window seat consists of a single, one-piece body which is integrally formed with means of inter-engagement with the window sill for maintaining the seat in proper position, and which is provided also with an adjustable means for adapting the seat for use upon window sills of different dimensions.

A further object is to devise such a seat that can be readily set for a given size of window sill and then readily applied to and removed from the same, while at the same time there is no interference caused by the weather-stripping or the sill strip in the use of the device.

ther objects v ill appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved device;

Fig. 2 is a View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, this figure illustrating a Window sill which is characteristic of a frame house;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, except that it is shown as being applied to a different size of window sill as found in a brick house.

According to my present form or" illustration, 40 the entire body of the seat is pressed out of sheet metal and has an up-turned wall l for more comfortably and securely supporting the body of the user. The edge portion of the wall I is formed with a flange 2 for the purpose of reinforcement.

The inner part of the seat is turned downwardly and outwardly so as to provide the portion 3 which is substantially parallel with the portion 4 which extends immediately above the sill strip A. The portion 3 has the integral reinforcing 50 ribs 5 which may be of any desired number.

It will be observed that the space between the substantially parallel portions 3 and 4 is somewhat greater than the height of the sill strip A and that the extent of the underlying portion 3 is suflicient to accommodate sill strips of different 1934, Serial No. 705,002

dimensions from the front to the rear edges thereof, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

The parallel portions 3 and 4 are also provided with pairs of registering holes 6 for the bolts 6. The upper holes 6' are square and are adapted to receive the squared portion of the bolt adjacent the head thereof so as to prevent the same from turning. These bolts have the crowned nuts 'l which may be tightened to a certain extent, as is characteristic of this familiar type of bolt and nut. Thus, there is avoided any danger of too tightly clamping the portion 3 and deforming the same, as might otherwise occur.

The exact position of the bolts will be determined by the size of the sill strip A, the idea being to have the bolts located so as to be adjacent the rear edge of the sill strip when the seat is in operative position. The holes 6' are shown in staggered arrangement, (see Fig. 1), so as to afford closer adjustment than would be possible if these holes were arranged in a straight line.

In the present illustration, I have shown two bolts 6, although any suitable number may be employed. By using a plurality of bolts, there is avoided any danger of the seat becoming cocked at an improper angle, and the use of two bolts is preferred for this purpose.

The bolts 6 serve also to brace the parallel portions constituting the inner part of the seat and can also be depended upon to prevent the seat from becoming accidentally dislodged outwardly as might otherwise occur. That is, the bolts determine the eiiective extent of the space between the parallel portions 3 and 4, in a direction from front to rear. In other words, the position of these bolts determines the extent of effective space to the rear of the sill strip A.

The underlying portion 3 is eiiective also in preventing the inner part of the seat from tilting upwardly unduly, this safety prevention being due to the engagement of the portion 3 with the under-side of the sill strip in case there should be any tendency for the seat to tilt upwardly and outwardly.

The purpose of the clearance allowed between the inner part of the seat and the sill strip will appear from the following reference to other features now to be described.

The bottom part of the seat is formed with an integral, downwardly extending rib 8 which extends partially across the same and in the middle part thereof. This rib or foot is adapted to rest upon the drain strip B at a point just outside of the sill strip A. The bolts 6 are preliminarily set for any given window sill so that the rib 8 will in all cases occupy the position just referred to. In this way, the seat has a means of interengagement with the inner and outer edges of the sill strip A by virtue of the location of the bolts 6 and the rib 8, respectively. Thus, the seat is virtually locked in position so as not to become accidentally dislodged either forwardly or rearwardly.

The outer part of the seat is adapted to rest upon the drain strip B as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, and the rib 8 is of such depth that there is allowed a clearance between the sill strip A and the upper portion i of the seat. One advantage served by this arrangement is that there is avoided the danger of marring the paint or other finish upon the top surface of the sill strip A.

Between the rib 8 and the outer bottom part of the seat, I have provided a raised portion 9 to accommodate the weather-stripping C, this portion 9 being of sumcient extent in a direction from the inside towards the outside, to accommodate the different locations of weather-stripping for different sizes of Windows. This raised portion 9 is so graduated in its contour upon the outer side thereof that it conforms to the general form of the seat bottom and does not interfere with the comfortable seating of the user. This is clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and i. This raised portion 9 extends entirely across the seat and is of suincient extent in the other direction to accommodate the weather strip A, whether located at the point indicated in the drawing or forwardly thereof, according to the size of the window;

The main-body of the seat is provided with another integral depressed rib or foot i0 which is so located that it will rest upon the wall D of a brick or stone house and thereby afford further support for the outer part of the seat. When the seat is employed in connection with a frame house, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the rib it will extend just outside of the drain strip B so as not to interfere with the main body of the seat resting upon the drain'strip. Such position of the rib i I] with respect to the drain strip B will serve as a further means of preventing any accidental movement of the seat inwardly during use of the same. That is, the rib ill is suliiciently close to the outer edge of the drain strip 13 to provide a still further means of interengagement of the seat with the window sill, as indicated in Fig. 3. Needless to explain, the drainstrip B of the brick or stone house is of less extent than the drain strip B of the frame house, and my window seat is devised so as to be equally well adapted for use in both cases.

In actual use of my device, the bolt 6 is first set according to the size of the'sill strip, as above explained, and the seat is then applied to the window sill by engaging the rear part thereof over the rear edge of the sill strip, with the seat tilted upwardly, and then moving the same outwardly and downwardly onto the window sill so as to occupy the position indicated in the drawing. The clearance between the rear part of the seat and the sill strip permits the seat to be applied in the manner just explained; and in this way, the rib 8 is brought into position just in front of the sill strip. 7

In order to remove the seat from the window sill, the reversemanipulation is followed. That is, the outer part of the seat is turned upwardly and inwardly, while at the same time the seat is moved baokwardly so as ,to remove the inner part thereof from engagement with the sill strip.

In manufacture of my window seat, it is pressed from a single piece of sheet metal, all parts thereof being formed by the same single operation except for bending the rear part thereof so as to provide the underlying parallel portion 3 and except for the necessary trimming of the edge. A suitable gauge of sheet metal is employed to afford the strength required.

Although my device is formed of a single sheet of metal, yet I have provided several means of reinforcement for the same. Such strengthening means includes the flange 2, the ribs 5, and also the ribs 8 and it and the raised portion 9. The bend between the parallel portions 3 and l serves 1 also as a reinforcing means, as do also the bolts 6, in the manner above explained.

The underlying portion 3 may also be used as a means of gripping and suspending the device from the hand while carrying the same from one window to another.

Thus, my window seat is of such simple construction that it can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price. At the same time, it is extremely convenient in the ease afforded thereby in the washing of the outside of the windows, and it possesses a high degree of safety by virtue of the secure and dependable manner of engagement afforded by the particular construction. Furthermore, there is nothing to get out of order and when once the bolts 6 have been set for a given size of window sill, this seat may be used upon any number of the same without requiring any adjustment.

If so desired, a cloth may be placed over the sill strip as a further precaution against marring the finish upon the sill strip, if such be desired, the clearance between the sill strip and the portion l being sufficient for this purpose.

What I claim is:

l. A window seat comprising a main flanged seat portion adapted to extend across the window sill and to support the body of the user, and an inner portion adapted to engage about the inner edge of the window sill said inner portion comprising a flanged lower part adapted to be positioned below the sill strip and a plain intermediate part, said portions being integral with each other, and adjustable means associated with said inner portion and extending between said main portion and lower part for varying the effective dimensions of said inner portion so as to adapt the seat for use upon window sills of different dimensions.

2. A window seat comprising a main portion adapted to extend across the window sill and to support the body of the user, and an inner bowed portion adapted to engage about the inner edge of the window sill, said portions being integral with each other, and vertically disposed adjustable means associated with said inner portion for varying the effective length of said inner portion so as to adapt the seat for use upon window sills of different dimensions from the inner to the outer edges.

3. A window seat comprising a main portion adapted to extend across the window sill and to support the body of the user, and an inner downwardly-and-forwardly turned portion adapted to engage about the inner edge of the window sill, said portions being integral with each other, and vertically disposed adjustable unitary means associated with said inner portion for bracing the same and for varying the effective length of said inner portion so as to adapt the seat for use upon window sills of different dimensions.

' '4. A window seat comprising a main portion adapted to extend across the window sill and to support the body of the user, and an inner downwardly-and-forwardly turned portion adapted to engage about the inner edge of the window sill, said portions being integral with each other, and vertically disposed adjustable bolt means extending through the upper and lower parts of said inner portion for bracing the same and for varying the eifective length of said inner portion so as to adapt the seat for use upon window sills of diiferent dimensions.

5. A window seat comprising a main portion adapted to extend across the window sill and to support the body of the user, and an inner downwardly-and-forwardly turned portion affording a space of greater depth than that of the inner part of the window sill so as to engage freely about the edge thereof, said portions being integral with each other, and vertically disposed adjustable unitary means extending across said inner portion for bracing the same and for varying the effective length of said inner portion so as to adapt the seat for use upon window sills of different dimensions, said parts being so constructed and arranged that said adjustable means may be set for a given size of window sill and the seat then applied thereto by first applying the inner portion of the seat to the inner edge of the window sill and then lowering the seat into position.

6. A window seat comprising a main portion adapted to extend across the window sill and to support the body of the user, and an'inner downwardly-and-forwardly turned portion adapted to be freely engageable about the inner edge of the window sill, said portions being integral with each other, vertically disposed adjustable means extending across said inner portion for varying the effective length thereof, and integral means depending from said main portion of the seat at a point outside that of the weather-stripping and adapted for supporting engagement upon the outer part of the window sill, whereby the seat may be applied to the window sill by first applying the inner portion of the seat to the inner edge of the window sill and then lowering the seat into position upon the window sill without interference by the weather-stripping.

7. A window seat comprising a main portion adapted to extend across the window sill and to support the body of the user, and an inner downwardly-and-forwardly turned portion adapted to be freely engageable about the inner edge of the window sill, said portions being integral with each other, vertically disposed adjustable means extending across said inner portion for varying the effective length thereof, and integral means provided in said main portion of the seat at a point outside the inner part of the window sill and adapted for supporting engagement upon the outer part of the window sill, said supporting means being of suificient height and being so formed as to provide clearance for the weatherstripping and clearance also between said seat and the inner portion of the window sill so as to prevent scarring of the same, whereby the seat may be applied to the window sill by first applying the inner portion of the seat to the inner edge of the window sill and then lowering the seat into supported position upon the outer part of the window sill without interference by the inner part thereof or by the weather-stripping.

8. A window seat comprising a main portion adapted to extend across the window sill and to support the body of the user, and an inner downwardly-and-forwardly turned portion adapted to be freely engageable about the inner edge of the window sill, said portions being integral with each other, and integral means provided in said main portion of the seat at a point between the outer edge of the sill strip and the weather strip and adapted for supporting engagement upon the drain strip, that part of the seat outside of the weather strip being also adapted to rest upon the drain strip and being joined to said integral supporting means by a raised portion adapted to provide clearance for the weather strip, whereby the seat may be applied to the window sill by first applying the inner part of the seat to the inner edge of the window sill and then lowering the seat into supported position upon the outer part of the window sill without interference by the inner part thereof or by the weather-stripping.

9. A window seat comprising a main portion adapted to extend across the window sill and to support the body of the user, and an inner downwardly-and-forwardly turned portion adapted to be freely engageable about the inner edge of the window sill, said portions being integral with each other, and integral means provided in said main portion of the seat at a point between the outer edge of the sill strip and the weather strip and adapted for supporting engagement upon the drain strip, that part of the seat outside of the weather strip being also adapted to rest upon the drain strip and being joined to said integral supporting means by a raised portion adapted to provide clearance for the weather strip, and the outer part of said seat having another integrally formed depending portion adapted to rest upon the wall at a point beyond the drain sill or to project immediately beyond the outer edge thereof so as to afford a further means of securing the seat against accidental lateral dislodgement, whereby the seat may be applied to the window sill by first applying the inner part of the seat to the inner edge of the window sill and then lowering the seat into supported position upon the outer part of the Window sill without interference by the inner part thereof or by the weather-stripping.

JOSEPH A. COSTELLO. 

